Ntarama Genocide Memorial Rwanda

The Ntarama church was converted into a genocide memorial on the 14th April 1995 and was dedicated to over 5000 people who lost their lives in this place. Ntarama which is one of the six national Genocide memorial sites contains human clothing’s, remains and artefacts which belong to those who were killed at the church, these items have remained at display all times. During the Genocide, the tutsis persecuted much of the population who sought sanctuary in the catholic churches believing that they would be protected and safe there. It’s also thought that church leaders informed the Hutus of the secret mass of Tutsis who were in the churches, and the Hutus stormed the churches and killed all the people.

Ntarama is a small church and school which is 25km south of Kigali. A total of 5000 people were killed from this place, most of which were children and women. All the people who were hiding in the kitchen buildings were burned to death and the children were brought together in one school room and killed by smashing their skulls against the wall. The wall is up to now stain with red blood from this style of execution. The women were raped before being killed as well as inserting sharp pointed sticks in their viginas until these sticks came out from the head. Many women were raped by these merciless people, most of whom were HIV positive. The blood stained clothes of the victim and the instruments used in the executions are all grouped at the front of the church. This church also houses all the skulls and many other bones of the victims.

The Myamata Parish Catholic Church is a site were grenades, automatic weapons, as well as rockets were operated from and these were used to kill the people imprisoned inside the church. It’s also believed that over 1000 people were killed inside the church with another 35000 who were killed around the church compound between April 10th and April 12th of 1994. The underground crypt besides the church is filled with thousands of skulls, femurs as well as bones belonging to 45000 people that were murdered. There are also wooden coffins which are filled with bones of whole families draped in purple covers.

The church was turned into Genocide memorial site as a sign of remembrance of over 5000 people who lost their lives there. This church is of national importance since it contains human remains, clothing’s, and artefacts of the real people who were killed in the church. The project for preservation of the site in perpetuity is being undertaken.

Bicester Genocide Memorial centre

This genocide memorial is near Karongi- Kibuye in western Rwanda, which also commemorates the Rwandan genocide in 1994 and over 40000 people died from here. The people here offered some defence and they even appealed to the French peace keepers for some assistance. These troops had no mandate to intervene and they even withdraw from the carnage and over 40000 Rwandan people died. This is also one of the sic major centres to commemorate Rwanda genocide, the others include; Murambi memorial centre, Ntarama genocide memorial centre, Nyamata, Nyarubuye as well as Kigali memorial centre.